Flying Bush to Carrier 'Just Awesome'

AP | 5/02/03

[DCPatriot]

I must admit that I was extremely nervous about him doing this.

He has too many enemies to put himself in danger like that.

What if the plane crashed into the sea and sunk as it was trying to land. How stupid would it look to harm a great President for a photo-op?

I'm glad he's safe. God Bless him.

[YOMO]

Good Photo. I enjoyed the little DEMS stuck on the plane. Lets see, Gore, Tommy, Hilly, Jessie, etc.,,,,,,,,

[coder2]

The 4th wire is NOT the last wire !!!!

It is the first wire laid to be caught. There is much being attributed to this misconception. This was a darn-near picture perfect landing.

[tictoc]

Hilarious!

[finnman69]

The pilot caught the #4 wire on landing. He is being razzed mercilessly today I'm sure by the rest of his squadron.

[WestCoastGal]

There are four parallel arresting wires, spaced about 50 feet (15 meters) apart, to expand the target area for the pilot. Pilots are aiming for the third wire, as it's the safest and most effective target. They never shoot for the first wire because it's dangerously close to the edge of deck. If they come in too low on the first wire, they could easily crash into the stern of the ship. It's acceptable to snag the second or fourth wire, but for a pilot to move up through the ranks, he or she has to be able to catch the third wire consistently.

[RayBob]

Pretty cool. Gave up big bucks as an airline pilot to put himself in harm's way. Alot of character; alot of guts. I'm sure I'm not alone when I ask that next time you see this chap, you convey to him my (and I'm sure everyone here) gratitude for his sacrifice and service. Hell of a guy.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Oh yes. We are lucky to have such an outstanding president, and First Lady Laura is one extremely lucky lady!

[Aria]

See post #43!

[Otta B Sleepin]

I had heard from a source late last week, I cannot specifically remember where, one of the reasons the President went out to the carrier in the first place was to stay out of the way

I said the same thing to my dh yesterday. I remember a similar discussion on FR a couple years ago when President Bush chose not to go out to meet the returning crew of the plane that was detained in China. The observation was made that he was letting the focus stay on the crew and their families, knowing the disruption a Presidential entourage would cause. We all agreed that X42 would never have given up a photo-op like that (of course, with his connections, he probably would have met them in China so he could bask in his Chinese cronies' admiration at the same time).

[Otta B Sleepin]

"The president's going out to an aircraft carrier to give a speech far out at sea ... while countless numbers of Americans are frightened stiff about the economy at home," said Sen. John Kerry

Sour grapes, Mr. Kerry.

Wait a minute.....maybe we could hand select certain members of Congress (naming no names here but a certain mid-Atlantic state immediately comes to mind) to do the same thing and then have the pilot "accidentally" hit the ejection switch somewhere over the ocean.

On second thought, it probably wouldn't work since she could just ride back on her broom. Too bad!

[dvwjr]

Actually, NO.

The wires are numbers from ONE to FOUR, with the one wire being the one closest to the stern of the carrier. The four wire is the last one an aircraft can catch before you get a bolter.

It's not the things we don't know that are dangerous, it's the things we think we know that are not so that are most dangerous.

Get your facts straight.


dvwjr

[dvwjr]

You factual morons amaze me.

The four wire IS the LAST wire available before you get a bolter and have to come around again for another approach.

My late father was a Naval Aviator who flew F-4J Phantoms, and he would be amazed today how wrong folks can get about his profession.

Jeeez.


dvwjr

[coder2]

Well, well, well --- thanks so much for the name calling...

It has been my experience that those to resort to it usually have no clue what they are talking about.

[NittanyLion]

No, the 4th wire is NOT the wire of "last resort". It is the first wire in a series of four. Lussier's landing, despite the added pressure of having his CiC sitting beside him, was first rate.

You've got it backwards. And even assuming you had it right, the first wire is actually the one you DON'T want to catch. There would be nothing first rate about it.

[aShepard]

Just think what the Toon would have done - probably be at the dock oogling all the wives and girlfriends, copping a feel as they pressed around him. The event would have been all about him, and, oh yeah, thanks for fighting my war.

Then there's Chelsea. She's thinking, damn, my step-daddy got out photo-op'd by "W".

[dvwjr]

Get your FACTs straight, or don't make such rediculous assertions. You clearly stated that the number four wire was the first one, here is your statement:

"The 4th wire is NOT the last wire !!!!"

The FACT is, the number four wire IS the LAST wire. Can you point to any reference which indicates that there is another wire to catch, or that the number four wire is the first available wire to catch?"

I didn't think so...

It was a good, but not picture perfect landing (except in the PR sense, of course). A "perfect" landing is a 3-OK. The S-3B Viking pilot floated to the four wire, and the Naval aviators who were LSOs on FR can call the trap.

dvwjr

[coder2]

Go ahead and hyperventilate ---- hope you feel better now.

[dvwjr]

Ah. Can't answer the question I see.

Just like a Democrat.


dvwjr